The present invention relates to a power plug locking device that locks a power plug to an object, such as a vehicle, and prevents unauthorized removal of the power plug from the object.
In recent years, consumers have become conscious of environmental problems. Thus, vehicles that emit less carbon dioxide such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have become popular. Such vehicles are driven by a battery-powered motor. When such a vehicle travels over a long distance and the state of charge of the battery becomes low, the battery must be charged (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-161898).
The charging of a battery involves an electrolytic reaction of compounds and ions in battery cells of the battery. This lengthens the charging time. Thus, when a user leaves the vehicle while the battery is being charged, someone may remove the power plug to steal electricity. Hence, locking devices have been developed to prevent unauthorized removal of the power plug from a vehicle.
The location in a vehicle at which a power plug locking device is installed, such as in the side wall of the vehicle body, may have limited space. Thus, it is required that a power plug locking device be developed for vehicles having limited space in the vehicle body. Further, when space is limited, a smaller power plug locking device would be advantageous. Accordingly, there is a demand for a compact power plug locking device.